Cheap Bottles Of Wine
by Cygrus
Summary: Matthew had honestly hoped he would never see Gilbert again after their first meeting in the park. But he doesn't realize how much the man will change his life. For the better or worse, he isn't sure.
1. Chapter 1

**Where to start, where to start? First off, this fic is based off an ongoing RP between Darxetta and I. So, expect it to be a bit long. Hopefully you will be able to stay without being bored to tears.**

**I guess this can be called a Slice of Life AU? Maybe. I'm not too sure. Either way, human names will be used, including names that aren't official, along with unofficial characters. **

**I could of submitted this three days ago. But the damn name was a pain. In. The. Ass.**

**The title is taken from the song "For The First Time" by The Script. Awesome song, bro. Look it up.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

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><p>A bright sun. Puffy white clouds. Chirping birds. Laughing children.<p>

A regular day.

Matthew Williams sat in a swing, barely moving back and forth. His mind wandered off every once in a while, only to be broken by the squeal of a happy child. His hands clutched the chains that held the swing up and he leaned back so he could stare at the sky, making sure not to make direct eye contact with the blazing sun. Birds flew over his head, their voices quiet, then loud, then quiet once more. He wanted them to sing a song, but he knew that only happened in the movies.

Sighing, he sat upright in the swing again, lowering his head to stare at his feet. Matthew honestly had no idea why he had come out here today, but he just felt something burning in his chest, encouraging him to go the park in a small voice. He almost regretted it now, since there was absolutely nothing to do.

His brother, Alfred, was supposed to pick him up soon. But knowing the active, easily excited teenager, it would be another few hours or so. Matthew considered walking home, but decided against it, considering the blazing heat. It wasn't usually this hot in Massachusetts during the Spring, but Matthew dealt with it. The only thought that really crossed his mind about it was the large, red hoodie he wore and how he felt he was going to suffer from a heatstroke. So, before that happened, he removed the article of clothing, taking a deep breath as the air, despite its warm temperature, hit his now bare arms. He straightened out his red t-shirt and set the hoodie on the ground, then continued to stare at his feet, feeling drained of all energy.

During the time he was at the park, no child came to say hi to him as they usually would with Alfred. Matthew always felt like a social outcast. Especially around his popular brother, who used Matthew as a playful punching bag. Not that Matthew wasn't used to it. He completely was, as he had been ever since he and his father moved in with Alfred and his mother when Matthew was three. Plus the whole thing about being mistaken for his brother a lot. Despite having different parents, they really did look similar. Uncanny coincidence that he utterly despised.

Another sigh escaped Matthew's lips. His one wish was to be noticed by someone, even if for a brief moment.

But he doubted that day would come.

Matthew's ears caught the faint hum of a familiar tune. It was gradually getting closer and more audible. What was the tune...Twinkle Twinkle Little Star? Yes, that had to be it. Matthew could recognize it anywhere. It had always been one of his favorites as a child. And, for a fact, it still was. His felt his vocal cords begin to vibrate as he hummed along with it, closing his eyes and swaying back and forth to the light beat. A moment later, he reopened them to find the source of the music. It was coming from another man who only looked to be a bit older than Matthew. Not that he cared much about that. It was his hair.

_His hair_.

It was a pure white with a silvery shine to it, and his skin was pale to match. Perhaps it was dyed. No, no. That couldn't be it. The skin was much to light.

Now Matthew knew what albinos were, but he had never actually seen one up close. The one thing he realized about them though was that they always seemed to be beautiful. And boy, this one was. Matthew's cheeks heated up slightly and he looked away, trying to make his shoes more interesting than the other man. By doing that, he didn't notice when the albino sat in one of the swings a little ways from him. Matthew heard the squeak of the old chains and glanced over. Now that he had gained a better view, he took note of the pinkish red eyes the other sported. It was hard to keep from staring. Matthew jumped slightly when the other began to speak, or, would you rather, mumble to himself.

"Dates...Feliciano...Luddy...dates..." was all the albino said, pouting as he kicked a rock with his foot lightly. Matthew lifted his head slightly, recognizing the name Feliciano. Perhaps he was talking about Feliciano Vargas, a senior in his high school who was well known for his laid back, ditzy attitude and his perpetually happy view on life. He was charmer, but most of the girls knew better than to go after him. Especially since he was dating that sophomore, Ludwig Beilschmidt. Matthew would wonder at times how those two even came to be a couple, what with their completely conflicting personalities, but it didn't particularly interest him.

Matthew snapped out of his train of thought and sighed in relief inwardly, thankful that this other man hadn't noticed Matthew staring at him. Instead, he was still muttering unhappily to himself, his cheeks puffed up.

"I guess he is talking about Feliciano," Matthew concluded, looking away. He didn't realize he had said this thought out loud until the albino's red eyes were set upon him.

"You know Feli?" the man asked, his voice sounding somewhat scratchy. Matthew stiffened. Even if he had said that out loud, he certainly didn't expect anyone to hear him. He looked towards the white haired man, nodding slightly. "So you're in his grade or something?"

"Um, no, I'm not. I'm actually one year behind him," Matthew explained. "We're in the same P.E. class."

"Oh." That was the only response Matthew was given. It was quiet for a few minutes, which Matthew was relieved about. He had a habit of getting nervous easily. "So, you're what? Seventeen?" Matthew glanced at him. He heard an accent, but couldn't decipher what it was. It sounded a lot like Ludwig's. German?

"Uh, yes," he answered, not exactly wanting to talk to him. It felt really strange, talking to a complete stranger. And yet, for some unknown reason, Matthew was the one to ask the next question. "How do you know Feliciano?"

"He's dating my little bro," the man told him.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt?"

"Yep, that's him."

"I see..." Matthew trailed off, not sure of what to say next. Another silence settled between them. Of all the times he had to be noticed, why now? He didn't get the best vibe from this guy.

"I'm Gilbert. Gilbert Beilschmidt." Matthew turned his head to look at Gilbert, whose face was turned away from him. Matthew remained quiet, merely staring at the man. Gilbert glanced at him, smiling slightly. "What about you?" Matthew blushed lightly, realizing he must of looked foolish.

"I'm, um, I'm Matthew Williams," he answered, glancing away from Gilbert, obviously flustered.

"Nice to meet ya."

"Um, same here." Matthew dared not look at him, fearful that Gilbert was silently mocking him.

_Ring ring._

Saved by the phone. Matthew hurriedly pulled his phone from his pocket and opened it, said a few words, then closed it. He stood up and grabbed his hoodie off the ground and wiped his forehead. He didn't realize how sweaty he had gotten. Was it okay for Gilbert to be out? He had heard it wasn't good for albinos to be in the sun. Then again, he wasn't an expert on them or anything. He began to walk away, then turned around. Why he felt the need to explain to Gilbert why he was leaving, he had no idea.

"I'm sorry. I have to go," he explained, frowning when Gilbert didn't even look at him. Instead, the other man said a simple goodbye. Matthew looked down, then turned and scampered off. From what he could hear behind him as he went away, Gilbert seemed to be talking to himself again.

"Well, whatever! I'm still awesome!" Matthew looked back, seeing that Gilbert was now swinging highly, laughing loudly and rather obnoxiously. Matthew shook his head. He always met the strange ones. And he hoped he wouldn't meet this one again. Yet, in the very pit of his stomach, he knew that this wasn't the last time he would see Gilbert.

He just had no idea how much would happen in his life because of this man.

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><p><strong>Bleh. First chapters always sucks. Hopefully they'll be better as the story progresses.<strong>

**Sorry if I have shitty grammar. Really, I am. I try to be better. It just doesn't work. **

**By the way, "Cheap Bottles Of Wine" really has nothing to do with the story at the moment. I'll see what I can do to make it fit.**

**Favorites and story alerts make me a happy bitch. Reviews make me cry happy tears. For cereal, bro. For cereal.**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed~!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh yay. New chapter. I probably could of completed yesterday, but shit got in the way. So, I typed this up in about an hour or so. **

**Special shout out to my own personal Prussia and Canada(AKA, Yuki Koyuma) for helping me feel better. Seriously, you guys are the bomb. Also, thank you Darxetta, for RPing all of this with me and giving me the inspiration.**

**And to those of you who have faved/added this to your story alert, thank you. You all are awesome. **

**Anyways, enjoy chapter two of Cheap Bottles Of Wine.**

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><p>Gilbert Beilschmidt tapped his hands against the steering wheel, humming a Ke$ha song to himself. He was parked in the school parking lot, waiting for the final bell to sound, signaling the end of the school day. He was there to pick up his younger brother, Ludwig, since he heard it was going to start raining and he didn't want his brother to walk home through that. Sure, it would be hilarious to see a soaked and angered Ludwig walk through the front door that day, but Gilbert felt like being nice.<p>

The last bell rang out and a flood of exhausted teenagers exited the school, glad to finally be out of the hell hole. Gilbert caught sight of Ludwig and a grin spread across his face as he hopped out of the car to go meet his brother. He paused upon seeing Feliciano appear beside Ludwig, sporting his usually happy expression. Gilbert noticed Ludwig blush lightly as the Italian grabbed onto his arm and stood on his tip toes, but fell back to his flat feet, looking disappointed. Ludwig gave him a soft smile, then bent down and gave Feliciano a kiss on the cheek. Immediately, a rush of jealousy washed over Gilbert. This is why he never wanted to be around Ludwig when him and Feliciano were together.

Gilbert held a deep affection for Feliciano, and he made it blatantly obvious to those around him, including Ludwig. But, the one person who had yet to realize this was Feliciano himself. Gilbert had finally died down on his flirting since he didn't want to get in the way of his brother's love life, but that didn't keep him from feeling resentment towards Ludwig.

As Gilbert kept walking towards them when he saw Lovino Vargas, Feliciano's twin brother, stomp over and roughly grab Feliciano's arm and pull the easily frightened senior away from Ludwig. He appeared to be saying something-most likely cursing him in Italian-before he dragged his brother away, who gave Ludwig a joyful wave. Ludwig waved back then reached into his pocket and pulled out a notepad and pen, jotting something down.

"Got a date~?" Gilbert cooed, causing Ludwig to jump. He hadn't expected his older brother to be there.

"B-Bruder?" Ludwig stammered, but quickly regained his composure. Gilbert grinned up at him.

"Well, do ya?"

"Bruder, I believe that's not any of your business..."

"Hey, I'm your older brother! It _has_ to be my business!" Gilbert retorted. Ludwig sighed and shook his head.

"Why are you here?" he questioned, running his hands through his slightly messed up blond hair, slicking it back. Feliciano rather did enjoy ruffling it up when they were alone. Why, he didn't know. Gilbert held up the car keys and jingled them then pointed to the sky, which was slowly filling up with dark clouds.

"I came to pick you up. It's gonna rain," he explained. Ludwig stared at him, making Gilbert feel a bit self conscious. "What?"

"It's just unlike you," Ludwig told him, to which Gilbert blushed at and quickly turned away, heading for the car and bumping into someone who dropped their books. He turned slightly and gave a quick apology, noticing that the kid looked familiar. Blond hair, one protruding curl, glasses, red hoodie. He knew this guy, but he couldn't place his finger on who it was. So, instead of spending too much time on the other person, he looked towards Ludwig and shouted at him to hurry up, threatening he wouldn't drive him home. Ludwig frowned and walked over to him, doing his best to ignore the boy Gilbert had bumped into.

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><p>As soon as they had gotten in the car and turned it on, rain began pouring down. Gilbert pushed on the brake at a stop sign, moving his head back and forth with the windshield wipers, slightly mesmerized. Ludwig glanced at him and tried to not let a laugh escape. His brother was quite the sight.<p>

"So, I saw you and Feli~," Gilbert sang, smirking when he saw Ludwig blush deeply. "You two looked like you were enjoying yourselves." He emphasized his statement by making a kissy face towards Ludwig, who turned away and looked out the window, flustered. Gilbert laughed and continued driving. "To bad Lovi came and took him away. Seriously, he should just stick to sucking on Toni's face." Ludwig sighed at the childish statement.

"Bruder, that's rude to say," he scolded. Gilbert pouted.

"But it's true~," he whined. Ludwig couldn't help but wonder how this man was older than him. He decided to not answer back, ending the conversation. Gilbert stepped on the brake at a stoplight behind a few other cars. He really hated living in the middle of town. Too much traffic. So, he went back to watching his windshield washers.

"Bruder, you should pay attention to the road," Ludwig told him. Gilbert shrugged and stared at the scenery outside.

"I sure feel sorry for the poor sucker who has to walk home in this rain," he muttered, his breath fogging up the window. Ludwig nodded in agreement before he noticed a small, rather frail teenage boy walking home. He recognized him as the one who Gilbert had bumped into and didn't even bother to help.

"You mean like him?" Ludwig asked, pointing out the window. Gilbert looked over and nodded.

"Yep. Feel sorry for him," he said. Ludwig sighed again.

"We should give him a ride."

"Do you know him?"

"I see him around school sometimes. He seems like he's friends with Feliciano, I think," Ludwig explained. "Also, you caused him to drop his books earlier."

"Oh, that's him?" Ludwig nodded. "Fine, he can have a ride." Gilbert rolled down the window on Ludwig's side. Ludwig was about to speak up when Gilbert cut him off. "Hey, kid!" Startled, the blond looked towards them. "Did you know it's raining?"

"Um, yes...?" He stared at them, recognizing Ludwig.

"And did you know you're soaked?" The teenager sent him an unimpressed look, annoyed that this stranger was telling him things he was already quite aware of.

"Yes, I know," he said in a firm tone.

"Then get in the car!" Gilbert offered, gesturing to the back seat of the small vehicle. The blond stared at him, surprised and a bit suspicious. "Come on, hurry up! Do I look like a kidnapper?" The teen frowned. "Yeah, don't answer that. Just get in."

"Matthew Williams, right?" Ludwig questioned once Matthew had finally agreed to get in the car. Matthew nodded, clicking the seat belt into place. "Ah, so you are the one Feliciano knows."

"Well, I don't know him too well..." Matthew mumbled, fidgeting uncomfortably. He glanced at the driver and stiffened. Now that he was closer, he recognized the man as who had spoken to him the park a few days ago. Then again, it wasn't too hard to recognize him. Matthew didn't see too many albinos out and about. Matthew just hoped Gilbert wouldn't recognize him.

"Hey, aren't you that kid I met in the park the other day?" Gilbert questioned, finally remembering who Matthew was. Matthew inwardly sighed. He nodded, trying to keep his hair from dripping everywhere on the seats. Not that it would do much, what with his soaked to the bone and freezing clothes already wetting the material of the car. Gilbert grinned at him. "Cool to see ya again." He directed his attention back to driving, trying his best to cause large splashes in the multiple puddles, much to Ludwig's protests.

Matthew stared at his lap, hoping the brothers wouldn't talk to him. He clasped his hands together and twiddled his thumbs, then jumped when Gilbert suddenly spoke up.

"Oh! Oh! Does Feli ever talk about Luddy and him going on dates and stuff?" Matthew thought for a moment, then nodded. "Are they going on another date later on?" Another nod. Gilbert grinned at Ludwig, who was once more blushing profusely. "I knew it! Luddy has a date~! Luddy has a date~!" he sang.

"Bruder, please be quiet!" Ludwig exclaimed, very embarrassed. Matthew watched them, then gave a quiet apology. He hadn't known it was a secret. Feliciano never made it seem so. Ludwig looked back at him and gave him an apologizing look. "No, no, it's fine. Bruder would of found out anyways." Matthew nodded and looked away. "By the way, we never asked for directions to your house."

"Oh yeah!" Gilbert exclaimed loudly, making Ludwig glare at him. "Where do ya live, kid?" Matthew grimaced, noting that Gilbert probably wasn't that much older than him. Besides, Matthew turned 18 on first of July.

"Please don't call me that," he told him with a sigh, then gave him directions to his home. Gilbert listened, then began driving to Matthew's home. Him and Ludwig had idle chit chat along the way, Matthew being left out again. Not that he minded. He barely knew these people anyways.

The car came to a halt in front of Matthew's two story home. The blond quickly gathered his school items and pulled his hood over his head. Gilbert turned around to face him.

"This it?" he asked, silently admiring the well kept house. Matthew nodded and opened the door.

"Thanks for the ride," he said quietly, wanting to get inside as quickly as possible. Gilbert nodded at him, then smiled. Matthew felt his heart skip a beat. He closed the car door and rushed inside, slamming the front door behind him. Gilbert blinked, then shrugged, pressed on the gas and sped down the street, laughing the entire way as Ludwig yelled at him to slow down.

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><p>"Dude, you're wet," Alfred told Matthew from the couch. Great, another intelligent remark. Matthew shot him a glare, but the other teen merely stared back. Alfred removed the towel from around his neck and threw it at Matthew, who thanked him begrudgingly. He removed his glasses and began wiping the foggy lenses. Alfred redirected his attention back to the TV, flipping through the stations before pausing on an old Western movie. "What took you so long?"<p>

"Alfred, we were supposed to go home together," Matthew hissed, but Alfred, being the oblivious man he was, took no notice of the venom in his step brother's voice. "Do you remember?" Alfred thought about this, tapping his chin, before grinning.

"Oh yeah!" he chimed, causing Matthew's anger to flare up even more. "But I got tired of waiting. Besides, I wanted to get home and call Arthur!" Matthew rolled his eyes, his frown deepening.

"You could of waited to call your precious boyfriend." Alfred put on a shocked expression.

"What the hell, Mattie! Artie isn't my boyfriend! I'm not gay, dude!" he defended, sticking his tongue out at Matthew in a childish manner.

"Whatever you say." With that, Matthew trudged his way up the stairs, went to his room, closed the door then locked it. Alfred was one of the only people who he could speak to like that. Anyone else, he would of been quiet and polite towards.

Matthew slung his books onto his bed and pulled his hoodie over his head, tossing it into the laundry bin. He slowly worked at the other clothing. A nice, hot shower sounded amazing at the moment.

Once he was in the shower, he began to recap the happenings of that day, as he usually did. Nothing entirely interesting went on throughout the day. He got an B on his science test, he helped a small blond girl when she dropped her belongings. He talked to Ivan about hockey for a little while at lunch before the large and somewhat frightening Russian went to speak with the Chinese boy, Yao, who was a senior. Matthew noticed Ivan's little sister, Natalia, following him. Ivan probably didn't see her though, since he would usually run away when the girl was near. Matthew didn't understand why, since she was a very pretty woman. Quiet and cold, yes, but pretty.

Then there was when that albino guy, Gilbert, bumped into him rather roughly which had caused Matthew to fall. Of course he didn't help, but Matthew had heard him apologize, which was new. Then there was the car ride home. Ludwig, the tall, burly and foreboding German sophomore had shown a new, different side of himself. It was amusing, yes, but Matthew barely knew him, so it didn't exactly matter.

Then there was Ludwig's brother, who was really loud. Matthew couldn't help but wonder about him. He wondered how old he was, when he graduated, why he was shorter than his younger brother. Then again, Matthew couldn't exactly speak, since he was a tad bit shorter than Alfred. But he was only three days older than Al, so he figured it didn't count.

Matthew's mind drifted back to Gilbert as another question popped into his mind.

"Why did he smile at me?" Matthew asked himself. He blushed and shook his head, sending droplets of water flying. Why was he blushing at this annoying man he only just met? Sure, he was handsome and what not, and he actually apologized to him when they bumped into each other unlike others, and he initiated a conversation with him a few days back...okay, this was going nowhere. Matthew shut his eyes tightly and told himself he wouldn't think of the other man and that he would never see him again. And with that annoying attitude and loud voice, he didn't want to.

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><p>Matthew stood in the kitchen, fixing himself an after school snack when he remembered his cousin, Francis Bonnefoy, was supposed to text him. He went upstairs and searched through his clothing, finding no phone. So he went back downstairs and continued his search, beginning to panic.<p>

"Mattie, what's up?" Alfred asked, watching his brother crawl on the floor looking for the device.

"I can't find my phone."

"Oh." Alfred went back to the TV, not asking if Matthew wanted help. A few minutes later, Matthew sighed in defeat, his curl drooping slightly.

"I can't find it," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. Alfred glanced at him.

"Think you dropped it in that car?" he questioned. Matthew gave Alfred a questioning look. "You got out of a car when you got home. Someone drove you, right? Maybe it fell out in their car." Matthew's eyes widened upon realization. He brought a hand to his face, groaning, only one thought racing through his mind.

Another meeting with Gilbert Beilschmidt.

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><p><strong>I watched Sucker Punch with my Prussia and Canada. Or, would you rather, Nikki and Sadie. My brain felt severely raped aftwards. Perhaps next time I should turn up the volume so I can actually hear the speaking.<strong>

**Also, the movie offered me no lesbian action. I was upset about this.**

**If you don't know, bruder means brother in German. I get the feeling this is fairly obvious, though. **

**Also, I'm aware Lovino and Feliciano are not twins. It just worked much better if they were. **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are wonderful things, you know. I'll try to get the next one as quickly as possible.**


	3. Chapter 3

**You guys! Why are you so nice to me! I don't understand!**

**Anyways, this chapter is really short. I kinda consider it a filler shit thing. My Internet went out today, so I decided to type up new chapters.**

**My cat passed away this weekend. I've had Angel for over seven years. He was such a dear, and I'll miss him terribly. **

**Enjoy this little chapter.**

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><p>Matthew sat in the bleachers, barely listening to their P.E. coach give instructions for the game they were fixing to play. He glanced over at Feliciano, remembering what Alfred had said the day before.<p>

_"You're friends with that Feliciano guy, right?" Alfred asked, taking a large bite out of the pizza they had ordered. Matthew kept his eyes on the TV, giving a nod to answer the question. "Well, you said something about Feliciano knowing the guy who gave you a ride home. Ask him and maybe he can get it back for you."_

_"That's actually a pretty good idea, Al. Especially coming from you," Matthew praised, feigning shock. Alfred pouted and punched Matthew's arm lightly._

_"Shut up, dude. I'm super smart."_

_"That big fat D on your science test begs to differ."_

_"Shut up! And don't tell Mom and Dad about that!" Alfred turned back to the TV, picking up his third slice of pizza. "And I don't understand why you need your cellphone in the first place. No one calls or texts you anyways!" Alfred laughed loudly as Matthew hit him continually._

It couldn't hurt to ask Feliciano about it. So, after the coach finished and everyone took to the court, Matthew jogged over to Feliciano, tapping the Italian's shoulder. Feliciano turned to him, then smiled.

"Ve~. It's, um...Matthew! It's Matthew!" he chimed, giving the blond a hug. Matthew patted his back lightly before pulling away.

"Hey, Feliciano. You know a guy named Gilbert, right?" he questioned. Feliciano nodded.

"Yep! He's Luddy's brother! Why?"

"Well, he gave me a ride home the other day, and I accidentally left my phone in his car. Do you think you could get it back for me?" Matthew was hopeful that he wouldn't have to meet with the albino again. Feliciano pondered on this request for a few moments.

"Well, I won't be seeing Gilbert until this weekend," he admitted with a sorry expression. "Him and Luddy's family are going out of town today after school. And Gil usually goes to the park on Saturday's, so I still don't think I'll see him. Sorry." Matthew sighed and gave a small smile.

"It's fine, Feliciano. I'll see if I can run into him at the park or something. Thanks anyways," Matthew told him, noticing the worried expression on the senior's face.

"No problem! Oh, Fratello! Wait~!" With that, Feliciano ran towards his brother and gave him a hug, but he was quickly pushed away by the more frightening twin.

Matthew shook his head, already dreading the sight of the other man. This was becoming annoying. He barely knew Gilbert, but it seemed fate kept driving him towards the albino. Then there was that incident where Gilbert had smiled at Matthew. And, as much as Matthew hated to admit it, it was a very handsome smile. He sighed and kept walking around the court, dragging his feet. It wasn't that Matthew hated Gilbert. It was just that every time they ran into each other, Gilbert sent off a strange vibe, and Matthew wasn't sure he trusted it.

His foot touched something, and he looked down, noticing it was a basketball. He bent down and picked up when a man ran up to him.

"Sorry," the man muttered. Matthew recognized him as Lars, a senior. Matthew smiled and held the ball out to him gently, startling the slightly taller man. Lars stared at it for a moment, then looked at Matthew, then back to the ball. He hesitantly took it. "Thanks." He quickly turned away and went back to the other classmates he was playing a game with. Matthew glanced around, looking for someone to hang out with, when a ball hit him in the back of his head. He rubbed the bump, mumbling to himself.

"Alfred, you bastard! This isn't your class!" a deep voice rang out. Matthew froze, then quickly took off, running from his fellow classmate, Carlos, a Cuban who always mistook him for Alfred. It was just Matthew's luck that Carlos despised Matthew's brother. "Get back here!"

"I'm Matthew!"

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><p><strong>Lars = Netherlands<strong>

**I had wanted to be unique about Netherland's name, but Lars is really fitting for some reason. My other choice had been Govert, a name that Himaruya had said could be a possible name for him. I really liked it, but I realized that people recognize Lars as Netherlands more often. So, Lars it was. I may go back and edit his name to Govert someday. I dunno. What do you all think?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Two chapters in one night? I'm doing pretty good, huh?**

**I had wanted this to be longer, but my brain died. **

**Enjoy.**

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><p>Gilbert removed the keys from the ignition and stepped out of the car, breathing in the warm Spring air. He was at the park again. It was his favorite place to go on Saturdays. He didn't like to admit it, but watching people have a good time with their family was always enjoyable to see. He slammed the car door shut and walked over to his favorite look out spot, the swing set. He plopped down in one of them and sighed contently.<p>

Most people would think going to the park with a friend is more fun, but not to Gilbert. He was perfectly fine being alone! He loved it!

...Okay, he would admit he would rather have someone with him, but all his friends were usually busy on the weekend. He didn't need them to have fun anyways.

"It's so awesome being alone," he told himself, grinning widely. He swung back and forth, kicking his legs. He didn't notice when a person walked up to him silently. Once Gilbert was done with his swinging, he finally noticed the other man. "Hey, you're Matthew, right?"

"Yes, I am," Matthew mumbled, looking down at his feet. His stomach felt strange. He had been recognized? That was definitely weird. "Um, I needed to ask you something." Gilbert stood from the swing and walked closer to the blond. Matthew noticed that the other man was only a few centimeters taller than him.

"Yeah?" Gilbert couldn't help but wonder how Matthew had known how to find him. He saw Matthew fidget a bit. "What did you need?"

"Remember when you drove me home?" Matthew questioned. Gilbert nodded. "I think I left my phone in your car. Could I have it back?"

"Your phone? Yeah, sure." Gilbert led Matthew over to his car and opened the back door, then dug through the seats and floor. His eyes caught sight of something white, and he grabbed it up. It was a cellphone with a red maple leaf sticker on it. He stood up straight and showed Matthew the phone. "This it?"

"Yes, it is!" Matthew took the phone from him, relieved that he hadn't lost it anywhere else. He blushed once he realized how rudely he had snatched the phone away from Gilbert. "Oh, um, s-sorry," he stammered out. Gilbert blinked, then gave Matthew another handsome smile. Matthew felt his cheeks tingle as his stomach did a flip.

"No problem," Gilbert told him before walking back to the swings. He sat down then saw Matthew sit on a swing a few over from him. He gave him a puzzled look.

"Um, my brother dropped me off. He won't be back for another few hours, and my house is too far away for me to walk to," Matthew explained quietly. Gilbert nodded and looked away. Matthew flipped the phone open, then sighed and closed it. Gilbert glanced at him.

"Miss an important text or something?" he asked. Matthew shook his head.

"More like never got the important text," he told him, his voice somewhat saddened. "I never get texts anyways." Gilbert turned his head completely to stare at the blond. His expression was pitiful, his violet eyes dull and staring at nothing. Gilbert couldn't help but feel bad for him. Didn't he have any friends? That's when Gilbert got a bright idea.

"Hey! I know what you can do!" he shouted, making Matthew jolt from his trance. He placed a hand over his heart and shot Gilbert a small glare. "Why don't you give me your number?" Matthew's glare went away and was replaced with a surprised look.

"What? Why?" he asked, staring at the grinning man.

"That way I can text you so you have something awesome to look forward to!" Gilbert chimed, giving him a thumbs up. Matthew was suddenly disinterested. He didn't exactly want to talk to Gilbert more, but the smile the man had was endearing. Matthew had to admit that much. Gilbert obviously meant no harm, so it couldn't hurt.

"Well, fine," Matthew agreed, giving him a small smile. Gilbert took out his phone and readied it for Matthew's number. The blond told him the number and noticed Gilbert pause, making a strange face. "Something wrong?"

"Well, I usually give people nicknames, so I don't just want to put in 'Matthew.' That would be boring," Gilbert told him. Matthew blinked. Alfred and a few others called him Mattie, so perhaps that would work?

"Um, you can call me Mattie," he stated. Gilbert's red eyes lit up and he quickly punched in the name, then saved the number. "What's your number?" Gilbert glanced at him, then gave him the number. Matthew typed it in, then closed his phone and turned away. Silence fell between the two. Per usual, Gilbert eventually broke it.

"You're really quiet," he said. Matthew shrugged.

"I guess. I don't usually have much to talk about."

"Oh." Gilbert sighed quietly, barely moving on the swing. Matthew said nothing in response. "Do you, uh, have anything you like doing?"

"I like hockey," Matthew replied, not looking at him. This caught Gilbert off guard.

"Hockey? But you're so small!" he exclaimed, causing a slight annoyance to overtake Matthew.

"So? It just makes me faster," he mumbled, pouting slightly. Gilbert began to laugh then. "What's so funny?"

"It's make you _faster_? Awesome to know!" Gilbert said between his laughs. Matthew finally understood what he was laughing about and blushed. Gilbert was like Alfred in that sense. Finding anything sexual sounding positively hilarious.

"Oh maple." Matthew looked away, hiding his red face. Gilbert looked at him, suppressing his laughter.

"Oh maple?"

"I-I don't usually swear, is all," the flustered blond replied. Gilbert couldn't help but grin. The maple thing sounded pretty cute.

"I see," Gilbert leaned back in the swing, staring at the sky. "You know, you're a pretty okay guy." Matthew glanced back at him, surprised at the sudden compliment.

"Uh, thanks?" he said, not sure why the man had suddenly said that. Gilbert laughed.

"Damn right, thanks! That's an awesome compliment, you know! Especially coming from the awesome me!" he exclaimed. Matthew frowned and whispered something about a superiority complex. "You say something?"

"No."

"Oh, okay. What else do you do other than hockey?"

"I like cooking." Gilbert suddenly sprung up, giving Matthew an overly excited look.

"Really? Awesome! What do you cook?" he questioned, switching to the swing next to Matthew's.

"I can cook a lot of different things. But I like making pancakes the most," he stated. Gilbert's grin increased in size.

"Oh, pancakes are awesome!" Matthew was beginning to wonder if Gilbert knew any other words than awesome. "Yep, you're definitely a cool guy." Matthew gave him a tiny smile and Gilbert grinned back. "What about your love life?"

"Huh?'

"Do you have a girlfriend or any of that stuff?"

"Um, no, I don't." This question had made Matthew feel a tad bit uncomfortable. In truth, he was actually homosexual. But he didn't have the easiest time admitting it. Not even Alfred knew, and they usually told each other a lot. Gilbert's eyes darted to the side.

"I can see why..." he muttered. Gilbert figured it must be hard to date someone so shy and quiet and...feminine looking.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What's what supposed to mean?"

"What you just said."

"And I said what?"

"Oh, never mind." Matthew looked away, a blush dusting his cheeks. He had heard Gilbert. It wasn't his fault he was incredibly shy and unnoticeable. Well, maybe he could be a tad bit more out there, but Gilbert didn't have to right to say anything. When Matthew had arrived at the park, Gilbert had looked just as lonely as Matthew had felt.

Another silence fell between them. Gilbert felt this was happening too much, and it annoyed him, so he decided to fix it again.

"Hey! I challenge you!" he exclaimed, trying to make conversation.

"Challenge?"

"We both swing really high then jump! And whoever goes the farthest is the winner!" Gilbert explained. Matthew shook his head.

"No thank you," he replied, not wanting to partake in the childish game. Honestly, how old was Gilbert anyways?

"Boo~! You're no fun~!" the albino whined, his cheeks puffed up. "Fine! I'll break my own record!" He began to kick his legs and swing high, then started a countdown. Matthew watched him, a bit worried. Gilbert flew off the swing and landed on the ground, falling and rolling a bit. Matthew stared at him as the man jumped up and checked the distance. "Two feet more than last time!" How often did he play this game? Gilbert slowly wobbled back over to Matthew after praising himself.

"Are you okay?" Matthew asked, taking note of the small limp. Gilbert nodded, grinning.

"I'm fine! Wasn't that landing awesome?"

"I suppose," was the reply he received. Matthew wasn't interested in the mans antics. Gilbert sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, his grin being replaced by a frown.

"It would be nice if you talked a bit more," he told Matthew. A shrug. "Maybe I can MAKE you talk?"

"You can try. I can't guarantee it will work, though," Matthew sighed, wishing Alfred would hurry and come pick him up.

"I just made you talk, though! I win!" Gilbert exclaimed, pointing a finger towards Matthew. The blond blushed and drew his mouth into a thin line. "Dude, you're really shy, aren't you? It's pretty cute!" The blush grew. Was Matthew just called cute? He appreciated the comment, but he felt as if his manliness had just received a sharp blow.

"E-excuse me?" he stuttered. Gilbert repeated his words.

"You okay? You're really red," Gilbert said, stating the obvious. Matthew narrowed his eyes, the red on his cheeks dying down a bit.

"I'm fine," he responded. He then looked at his watch and froze a bit when he realized he had just spent an hour with Gilbert. It was almost time for Alfred to arrive.

"Hey, when are you goin' home?"

"Al is supposed to be here in a few minutes." Matthew saw that Gilbert's face visibly dropped.

"Really? That sucks." Gilbert turned away, frowning. Matthew couldn't help but wonder if Gilbert was actually _enjoying_ his company.

"Um, don't worry. He won't show up," he reassured. Gilbert turned his head to him.

"I could take you home later, if you want," he offered. Matthew blinked, then nodded.

"That would, um, be nice. Thanks," he mumbled, looking to his feet. Gilbert smiled at him and reached hand out to ruffle the smaller man's hair, but quickly retracted it, thankful that Matthew hadn't noticed. Gilbert wasn't sure of why he had just done that. Was it a weird reflex? Yeah, that had to be it.

"Hey, are you hungry?" he asked, attempting to hide his embarrassment. Matthew shook his head.

"I've already eaten," he told him quietly. Gilbert looked at the sky, then back to Matthew.

"Would you make me eat by myself?"

Yes.

"Um, no?" Matthew said, mentally slapping himself. Gilbert grinned, then took hold of Matthew's wrist and pulled him out of the swing, earning a yelp from the teenager.

"Awesome! I know a place close to here!" Gilbert chimed, dragging the blond behind him. Matthew stared at the hand that gripped his wrist. It was firm hold, yet gentle. For some reason, Matthew felt as if it fit Gilbert. His cheeks burned slightly, but he shook it off, scrambling to keep up with the mans pace.

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><p><strong>I don't think the grammar in this was great, but I tried. I'll most likely go back and edit a few mistakes here and there, since I know they're there. Google Chrome just refuses to show them.<strong>

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I honestly don't think it was too great. **

**Still based on the RP Darxetta and I did.**

**I'll try to get a new chapter out soon. Reviews are awesome, dudes.**


	5. Chapter 5

**YOU GUYS. LOOK WHAT'S FINALLY UPDATED.**

**I'm so sorry. I'm not gonna lie when I say I've been working on this chapter for almost six weeks. I just could _not_ write it for some reason. I was ready to rip my hair out.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, loves.**

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><p>"Why McDonalds?" Violet eyes darted around the facility, passing over happily chatting people, then back to the white haired man who was currently dipping a french fry in his chocolate milkshake. Matthew couldn't help but eye the concoction, wondering it it was <em>truly<em> appetizing. Alfred had always tried to convince him it was, but Matthew couldn't care for fast food anyways.

"Because they have awesome food," Gilbert answered, chomping on the chocolaty fry and staring at the blond sitting across from him. Matthew made a strange face.

"I beg to differ," the quiet teen retorted as he watched a child spill their soda on the floor and whine over it as he was dragged out by his mother. "It's...not too clean here, you know."

"Are you a germaphobe or something?"

"No, but I was just pointing out the obvious."

"It looks perfectly clean to me."

"You must be a slob then."

Gilbert opened his mouth to make a witty comeback, but closed it over the straw when he thought of nothing. This made a small smile grace Matthew's lips. There was one success for him today.

They remained in silence, listening to the background noise, not really paying attention to one another. Gilbert just took a bite of his McNugget and chewed slowly, his red eyes glancing towards Matthew, examining the younger man.

He was blond, that was easy to tell, and his hair was a tad bit wavy. It reminded Gilbert of one of his best friends. He had this one strange curl protruding from his head. Gilbert _really _wanted to pull it, as if it were some strange lever that was just asking to be tugged at. He would have to find out about it later.

Matthew also wore glasses, but his blue violet eyes still shone through them. But they were almost sad looking eyes. And then his body. He seemed lanky, but Gilbert could tell he easily held some muscle. Hadn't Matthew mentioned something about playing hockey? That had to be where the small amount of build came from. Then there was his lips, which, despite how gay it sounded, looked _incredibly _soft. A moment after staring at them, he noticed they were moving. This jolted him from his thoughts.

"Huh?" he said smartly, blinking a few times, trying to remember what Matthew had been saying. The blond sighed and looked down, shaking his head.

"I was asking why you were staring at me," Matthew stated, raising his face back up to stare at Gilbert's. Gilbert could feel his skin tingle and he looked away quickly.

"No reason. You were just there, was all," was the answer Gilbert gave while he puffed up his cheeks. He heard Matthew shift uncomfortably in his chair before looking back at him. "Your hair."

"My hair?" Matthew looked back to Gilbert, confused. Gilbert put on a determined expression.

"I want to touch it." The statement was so straightforward and unexpected, Matthew just had to jump. He could feel his face burning.

"Excuse me?"

"Your hair. It looks soft. I want to touch it." This was all said in one breath, but Gilbert kept his eyes steady. Matthew frowned. Gilbert wanted to touch his _hair_? Now, Matthew heard a lot of strange suggestions in his lifetime, but this was rather...queer. And, quite honestly, he wasn't sure how to answer. Not that he needed to, for Gilbert shot out his hand and started stroking Matthew's golden locks.

Matthew squeaked when he did, and he wanted to push Gilbert's hand away, but for some reason, his arm wouldn't budge. The way Gilbert's hand snaked its way through his hair felt so wonderful for some odd reason. But when his hand made his way to the one curl that stood out from the rest, Matthew's reflexes finally slapped the man's hand away. The action surprised Gilbert, but he went back to eating, albeit awkward this time around. Matthew looked away, huffing, willing the red on his face to disappear. A few minutes later, Gilbert spoke up.

"You don't like me much, do you?" Gilbert asked. Matthew lifted his head. Another strange question. "Don't lie. That's unawesome. Even though I do it a lot. But _that's _okay, since it's from me. And everything I do is awesome." Gilbert paused. "But seriously. A lot of people don't like me."

_'Gee, I wonder why,' _Matthew thought, rolling his eyes. "You're okay." In all honesty, Gilbert did seem like a good guy. A bit egotistical, yes, but everyone has that. Gilbert's was just enhanced.

_Really _enhanced.

Gilbert have Matthew a toothy grin, showing he was grateful for the comment. He reached over the table and gave Matthew a good clap on the shoulder, then sat straight again and popped a french fry into his mouth.

"Thanks, Mattie. People always think I have a huge ego and that I'm over the top, so it's refreshing to not hear that from someone," Gilbert explained, leaning back in his chair. Matthew snickered quietly.

"I can't judge someone I barely know," he told him, his violet eyes bright. "And besides that, it's exactly like Alfred..." He trailed off. Gilbert blinked a few times, thinking the name sounded a tad bit familiar.

"Who's Alfred?" he asked, shoving another fry into his mouth.

"He's my brother." Matthew stated, then asked if he could have a drink of Gilbert's soda. His throat felt a bit dry. Gilbert told him it was okay.

"What does he look like?" At the question, Matthew took his wallet from his pocket and took a picture of him and Alfred from it. He held up the picture, allowing Gilbert to examine it. "Woah, you guys look really similar." That was a common statement that Matthew heard quite often. He merely shrugged upon hearing it.

"I suppose so. It's weird though, because we're not blood related." This seemed to surprise Gilbert, but Matthew never thought too much about it. It was a pure, unfortunate coincidence.

"Well, at least you look like your bro. Luddy and I look nothing alike, and we actually share the same blood," Gilbert mumbled, tapping his fingers against the tabletop.

"I suppose you're right," Matthew said, looking down to his lap. This conversation was way too awkward for him, and he was barely enjoying it.

"You sure you're not hungry?" Gilbert inquired, and Matthew nodded. "Fine. If you say so."

More silence. This was becoming far too common. Matthew glanced at Gilbert to examine him only to find the albino's eyes burning into him.

"You can leave if you want," Gilbert said, looking away. "You're bored." This caught Matthew by surprise. He certainly hadn't expected it.

Sure, their conversation was going nowhere, and sure, Gilbert was a strange guy. But the look on his face was, to Matthew, pitiful and almost endearing. He was like a stray puppy. Matthew could tell the man didn't want to be alone. Matthew knew this feeling all too well. Perhaps, just maybe, they were more alike than Matthew first thought.

"I have nothing better to do," Matthew said. He then thought that sounded a bit rude, but said nothing as Gilbert's face lit up.

"Does that mean I'm the last choice?" Gilbert laughed. "Nah, I'm kidding."

"Actually, you _are_ the last choice." Matthew stared at him, feeling the corners of his mouth tug upwards at Gilbert's puzzled face.

"Well, whatever. Even if I _am_ the last choice-,"

"Which you are."

"-I'm still the _best_ choice." Gilbert paused, thinking of what to say next. "What were your other choices?"

"Hanging out with Alfred." No wonder he chose Gilbert instead. "Or sitting all alone in the park."

"If you had done that, you still would of found me, you know," Gilbert told him, giving him a toothy grin.

"I guess you're right. You're still the only semi-appealing choice." Matthew looked out the window and placed his chin in his hand. He heard Gilbert snicker.

"You sayin' I'm handsome?" Matthew felt himself heat up and he was ready to reply before a person caught his eye. His breath hitched and he ducked underneath the table. Others sent him strange glances but didn't pay attention. "Mattie?"

"Shut up!" Matthew hissed in a quiet tone. "Just tell me when he's gone!"

"When who's gone?" Gilbert questioned, looking out the window.

"Dark guy, a bit plump, dreadlocks. Tell me when he leaves." The blond remained quiet after that. Gilbert quickly found who Matthew was speaking of.

"Oh, you mean Carlos? He totally admires me a lot," Gilbert said with pride. Matthew rolled his eyes, mumbling about how _"wonderful" _that was.

A few minutes later, Gilbert finally spoke up about the Cuban being gone. Matthew cautiously made his way out from under the table and situated himself back into his seat, stretching.

"Thank you," Matthew mumbled. Gilbert nodded.

"What was that all about?" the albino asked, curious at the situation. Matthew sighed.

"He always mistakes me for my brother. And he hates my brother. As in, really hates. He beats up on me constantly," Matthew explained. Gilbert gaped at the young man.

"Seriously? That's so not awesome! How could someone mistake you for your brother?"

"You'd be surprised..." Matthew whispered sadly. Gilbert continued, apparently not hearing his comment.

"You guys look way different," he stated. Matthew's eyes widened a tad, feeling his heartbeat speed up.

"You think so?"

"Yeah! Let's see." Gilbert squinted his eyes at Matthew. Strangely enough though, this time around, Matthew felt perfectly comfortable with the action and he wasn't sure why. "Well, I can tell your hair is longer than his, according to the picture. And it's lighter colored, too. Well, I think it is. Plus, there's this." Gilbert reached his hand out and tugged on the loose, curly piece of hair protruding from Matthew's scalp. Matthew made some sort of gurgly noise in the back of his throat before gently slapping the hand away.

"Please don't touch that," he said, willing his heart to calm down.

"I think your bro has one, too. But his was all short and sticky uppy," Gilbert mentioned. Matthew nodded, then crossed his eyes to see the dangling piece of hair.

"Ow." He massaged his eyelids, forgetting it was fairly painful to do that. "That sorta hurt." Gilbert chuckled at him.

"It usually does." Gilbert received a small grunt in reply as Matthew looked at his watch. "Got somewhere to be?" Matthew looked up at him.

"Huh? Oh, no. Sorry. It's just a habit," he explained, a tad flustered. Gilbert nodded in agreement.

"I get it. I was the same when I was in school. Always checkin' the time, seeing if we were almost able to get out and stuff. By the way, when's summer gonna start? Luddy won't tell me. Keeps saying something about _wanting _to stay in school. He's so weird!"

"There's one month left," Matthew stated, his lips quirking at Gilbert calling Ludwig weird when he was even stranger himself.

"Really? Awesome!" Gilbert chirped, his face bright. "Last months are always amazing."

"I can agree with that," Matthew said, nodding his head simultaneously. Gilbert stood from his seat, wadding up his trash then tossing it into the trashcan, letting out a _'Whoop!' _as he did so. He turned back to Matthew and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I'm done eating. We can head out, but you can stay if ya want." He looked away, a frown quickly forming on his face. Matthew's features softened and he stood, pushing his chair back into the table.

"I think I'll stay with you," he stated, tucking a piece of stray hair behind his ear. "Nothing better to do. Besides, you're kinda cool, I suppose."

"Cool? I'm awesome!" Gilbert bragged, immediately perking up. Matthew smiled at him.

"Of _course_ you are," he chuckled. Gilbert's cheeks puffed up, his brows furrowing together.

"I am! Don't doubt me!" he exclaimed, pushing the doors to the restaurant open and walking out, Matthew following closely behind. "I'll prove it to you!"

"Good luck with that," Matthew replied. Gilbert rubbed the back of his neck, grumbling.

"It might be tough with you, though. You're seem pretty, uh, what was the word?" The older man looked at the sky, mouthing off words one by one, finding them all incorrect sounding.

"Judgmental?" Matthew offered, but Gilbert shook his head in response.

"Nah, that's not it," he mumbled. "Just forget it."

"Forgotten." After a moment, Gilbert laughed and Matthew joined in quietly. They looked at each other, smiles on their faces, when they both suddenly pinked and looked away. Gilbert scanned the area, attempting to find something to talk about when his eyes fell upon a couple, holding hands and laughing. His lips drew into a thin line, easily recognizing them.

"Ew~!" he sang, causing them to turn around. Matthew looked at him as well. "Lizzy and Roddy are sucking on each others faces again!"

"Fuck off, Gilbert," the girl spat at him.

"Elizaveta, your language is very vulgar..." the man sighed.

"Sorry, Roderich," she apologized before turning to Gilbert, tucking her brown hair behind her ears and smiling bitterly at him. "Why are you here?"

"Because _someone _was _'so damn busy.' _Yeah, busy swapping spit," Gilbert scoffed, crossing his arms and glaring at her. Elizaveta looked somewhat guilty.

"Well, gee, who do I choose? My loving boyfriend or my annoying, egotistical, loud mouthed best friend?" she said, smirking at Gilbert. He fidgeted a bit.

"Best friends are way better," he muttered in response. Elizaveta giggled before finally taking notice of Matthew standing next to Gilbert. He had been watching them all with a puzzled look.

"Are you on a date, Gilbert?" she asked, sending Matthew a smile. His face heated up greatly upon hearing her words and he fumbled on what to say as a reply.

"Elizaveta!" Roderich interjected. "That's rude to say! Think of the person he's with right now!"

"If he's on a date with him, what's the matter with saying it?" she asked, chuckling.

"W-we aren't on a date," Matthew squeaked out, waving his hands in front of himself. Elizaveta frowned slightly then turned to Gilbert.

"You could of told me before I said anything!" she scolded, playfully punching him in the arm.

"It's not my fault your brain works in strange ways!" he retorted, sticking his tongue out at her. "And you know I'm not gay!"

"Your brain tells you that, but your body doesn't~," she sang, beaming at him. Gilbert rolled his eyes.

"Hey, maybe if you're lucky, I'll date a dude someday." He kicked at a rock on the ground. She crossed her arms and gave him a knowing look.

"Gil, you've been chasing after Feliciano since you both met six years ago. You know you're never gonna get him with Ludwig in the picture, so why not find someone new?" she asked, watching as Gilbert reddened. He shushed her and sent Matthew a nervous look.

"Shut up. I would never get between Luddy and Feli," he stated. "I'm too much of an awesome big brother for that." He huffed, grinning proudly.

"I'm confused..." Matthew mumbled and Elizaveta turned to him, her green eyes full of sympathy.

"I'm sorry. We made you feel uncomfortable," she apologized. "I blame you, Gilbert."

"You started it with the date thing," he said.

"You shouldn't of said my name."

"I can't help it!" He threw his hands up, laughing obnoxiously. "You and Roddy over there are just so much fun to bug!" The two argued for a few minutes while Roderich looked at Matthew, his eyes pleading.

"Please take him away somewhere," he begged. Matthew shrugged.

"I can't. I barely just met him," he stated, causing Roderich to sigh in annoyance. They went back to watching the two friends, realizing their argument had stopped and they were both smiling deviously at Roderich.

"So, I can do it now, right?" Gilbert asked, and Elizaveta nodded. Roderich stiffened, eying the albino cautiously. Suddenly, his shoulders were grabbed and Gilbert leaned in, puckering his lips at him. He was quickly pushed away by the flustered, bespectacled man.

"Just what are you doing, you hooligan!" he shouted, his face red and filled with anger. Matthew snickered silently. Elizaveta gave Roderich an innocent look.

"I once drunk dared him to kiss you, but we turned out to be sober enough to remember it," she explained. "He has to go through with it."

"I can't let a dare go!" Gilbert joined in. "Now come 'ere!" His arms wrapped around Roderich's neck, the man's face distraught, before placing his lis upon his cheeks and giving him a sloppy, awkward and wet kiss. Roderich trembled in disgust at the act while Elizaveta merely laughed while watching. She jumped a few times.

"Another dare! Another dare!" she chanted. Gilbert accepted it and she pulled him down to whisper in his ear. After a few moments, he pulled away, giving her an incredulous look.

"Really?" he asked. She nodded excitedly, making him sigh and nod in agreement. Matthew and Roderich watched them, brows raised in confusion. "Well, you guys can get going. But, Lizzy, take it easy on this guy here tonight. You know he likes it soft." He was promptly hit by Elizaveta at the comment, but her grin remained.

"I'll take it to heart," she told him. Roderich frowned at them, continuing to wipe at the spot on his cheek.

"I won't ask," he said, straightening his shirt out. Elizaveta grabbed his hand and they began to walk away.

"See ya, Gil. Bye-oh, um, I never learned your name," she laughed nervously, sending Matthew an awkward smile. He returned it.

"It's Matthew."

"Alright. Bye, Mattie." With that, the couple left, their hands clasped together. Matthew looked to Gilbert, one brow still quirked.

"I'll take it she's a good friend of yours?" he asked, and Gilbert nodded.

"We've known each other since elementary school. Except, she beat me up a lot back then. She even beat up Roddy, but they're all about flowers and hearts and shit now." Gilbert ran a hand through his hair, chortling a bit. Matthew started to walk again, allowing Gilbert to join in his stride.

"I see. What's your dare this time around?" he asked. Gilbert's scarlet orbs narrowed devilishly, a smirk appearing on his lips.

"It's a secret."

"A secret?" Matthew looked at the sky, smiling a bit. "Now I'm scared." Gilbert jumped in front of him, throwing his arms up.

"Be afraid! Be _very _afraid!" he exclaimed, a laugh escaping shortly after.

"Oh, trust me, I am," Matthew assured. Gilbert paused for a second, wondering if he should say what he wanted to.

"You were..._okay _with all that back there, right? The whole...gay-ish thing?" he asked awkwardly. Matthew sent him a quick smile. Now or never, right?

"Not at all. Truth is, I'm gay myself." His heart jumped. He had said it so proudly and to a person he just met. His confident smile turned into a nervous one as he waited for Gilbert's response, which came in the form of a grin.

"Really? Awesome. I guess I'm bi-curious or something. I don't really know," he admitted. "But Lizzy will definitely like you now. She has a thing for gay guys, weirdly enough."

"That is a bit strange," Matthew agreed.

"And then there's Antonio, probably the gayest out of us. And then Francis who's...uh, actually, I don't know just _what _he is." Gilbert thought for a moment, not noticing when Matthew slowed down. He turned around to face him.

"Francis? Francis Bonnefoy?" he inquired with a puzzled look. Gilbert blinked a few times before nodding.

"Yeah, him. Blond hair, blue eyes, the works. He also has that really weird accent?" Gilbert laughed at his comment, not noticing Matthew grimace.

"Trust me, he has no sexuality."

"You know him?" Gilbert asked, surprised. Matthew nodded slowly.

"He's my cousin," he said, clicking his tongue in distaste. Gilbert's jaw dropped, completely caught off guard.

"Your _cousin? _Wow, feel sorry for ya! Even if he _is _one of my best friends." They continued walking, Matthew's head lowered.

"Thanks for the concern," he mumbled, kicking a rock as they walked. Gilbert grunted in response, thinking over what he had learned about Matthew.

_'Alright, so he likes hockey, he can cook, he has a brother, Francis is his cousin and he's gay,'_ he thought, giving himself a tiny smile. _'That's pretty damn productive for one sit in.'_

"Oh maple!" Matthew suddenly cried out, startling Gilbert. He was looking at his watch, eyes widened slightly. "I forgot! Francis is visiting today! I have to get home!"

"I thought he was visiting family in France?" Gilbert said, watching Matthew. The younger man nodded.

"Bu he flew in yesterday," Matthew explained. Gilbert thought over the situation for a few seconds.

"I'll drive ya home," he offered. "I might as well say hi to the guy. I haven't seen him in ages!"

"Is it really okay with you?" Matthew asked, almost sounding a tad bit desperate. It was cute. Gilbert grinned in response, nodding his agreement. "Thank you very much."

"Don't be so formal, Mattie!" Gilbert chuckled, giving Matthew a rough slap on the back. "Now just follow me." He began leading Matthew to his car, the blond smiling nervously.

For some reason, in the pit of his stomach, Matthew could tell this afternoon would be a long and painful one.

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><p><strong>I really don't know why Alfred and Matthew aren't blood related in this. It just, uh, worked better or something.<strong>

**Yay. Bi-curious. Also, I want to touch Matthew's hair too. It really does look soft.**

**By the way, that word Gilbert couldn't think of? In the RP, I actually could not think of the word. It frustrated Darxetta and I greatly.  
><strong>

**Okay, so this chapter isn't the greatest, and I apologize for this. I'll _try _to make sure the next chapter is better.**

**I love reviews, everyone, so I hope you leave them. Hope you enjoyed this chapter~.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yay! Francis is in this one! Gosh, that guy is a boat load of fun.**

**I was really beating myself up over almost hitting the one month deadline. But I did it, you guys! I did it!**

**Also, find the link for my Tumblr and a collab account between Darxetta and I.**

**For the Tumblr, follow it for updates on this, on other fics and coming soon things. Also, feel free to ask questions there!**

**Enjoy~.**

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><p>When the pair made their way back to Gilbert's car and climbed in, Matthew turned to the albino to speak with him before they continued.<p>

"Do you remember the way to my house?" Matthew asked. Gilbert pursed his lips into a thin line and snorted, narrowing his eyes at the blond.

"Of course I do!" he exclaimed. "Do you think I'm dense or somethin'?"

"Well, no?" Matthew said back, teasing the other man. Gilbert huffed and started the car, driving away from the park. Matthew looked out the window at the passing scenery, a bit puzzled. This didn't look like the way to his home.

"Want some music?" Gilbert asked. Matthew glanced at him and nodded. The man proceeded to crank up the volume on the car's radio. _'We Didn't Start The Fire' _by Billy Joel came through the speakers. "Awesome! I love this song!" With that said, Gilbert began to loudly sing along with the song. Matthew smiled slightly, suppressing a chuckle.

They rode along, the area becoming less and less familiar to Matthew. He didn't say anything until Gilbert pressed on the brake, a frown on his face. The blond turned his face to him, puzzled. Gilbert looked straight ahead before slowly turning his head to Matthew.

"I think we're lost," he stated, a barely noticeable blush creeping up on his cheeks. Matthew stared at him, then snickered.

"Just realized, huh?" he said in a mocking tone. Gilbert stared at him incredulously.

"You knew?" he asked. "How come you didn't tell me?"

"Crack your ego slightly."

"You're really mean." Gilbert paused. "What ego?"

"Forget I said it. Just listen to my directions and we'll be home in no time, alright?" Matthew smiled at him sincerely. Gilbert sat there dumbly for a moment before nodding in agreement.

He followed Matthew's instructions and eventually got back onto the path he remembered. Along the way, he started cracking jokes to Matthew, which caused the bespectacled teen to laugh. Gilbert would smile at him, Matthew would smile back. They even harmlessly teased one another. All in all, it was one of the better conversations either one of them had had in while.

Soon enough, they were parked in front of Matthew's home and climbing out of the car. Gilbert locked it up and stuck the keys into his pocket, then lifted his arm above his head and stretched. Matthew had easily figured out that Gilbert wasn't one who enjoyed staying still for too long. The man looked at the house that stood before him. It was a nice looking place from the outside. An off white home with black window shutters decorating it. Rose bushes that were perfectly cut rested against the siding of the house. If this was what it was like on the outside, he wondered how nice it was on the inside.

"Looks like Francis isn't here yet," Matthew mumbled, shoulders slumping. Gilbert turned his attention to the empty driveway. "I wonder when he'll show up."

"I bet he's at some drug store complaining about the price of condoms," Gilbert said, laughing to himself.

"Sadly, that _does_ sound like something he would do." Matthew walked up to the front door, Gilbert following closely behind. He pulled out a ring of keys, fumbling through them for the one that unlocked the door. He finally grabbed the correct one and opened it, leading Gilbert inside. Gilbert looked around the layout, not surprised it looked incredibly clean. A nice sized living room, a kitchen attached to it with a bar, stairs leading to an upper level, the appearance of a regular family home. The walls were painted a light yellow with blue curtains covering the windows. The cream colored furniture looked incredibly comfy as well, but the flat screen TV was far more appealing.

"This place is nice," Gilbert complimented, examining the trinkets that were held in a glass cabinet next to the massive widescreen. Matthew nodded as he removed his hoodie and slung it over his shoulder.

"Yeah. My mom has a good taste for color and furniture," he said, smiling at the room himself. "I'm going to take a shower, okay? You can just stay here and watch some TV, if you want."

"Sure, sounds good," Gilbert replied, not looking at Matthew. His attention was more drawn to a display of different world flags in a picture frame. The German flag stood out the most and made him feel incredibly homesick.

Matthew looked at the flag as well, remembering the trip his family had taken to Germany once. The country was a wonderful place from what his memory told him. He turned away and made his way up the stairs and into the bathroom Alfred and him shared. He quickly undressed and stepped in, turning on the water and letting it pour over his body.

Him and Gilbert were getting along fairly well. It felt nice, yes, but Matthew was still unsure of his opinion of the albino. Gilbert may have seemed easy to read at first, but he turned out to be a far more complex man than he had originally thought. Matthew almost wanted to explore the more mysterious part of Gilbert, but he was scared to attempt it at the same time. But it was as if he had to. From what he had seen with Elizaveta, Gilbert seemed to be easily brushed off by his good friends, and yet he put on a smile and hid how that really made him feel. It was so...

Similar to how Matthew was.

He stiffened. Similar? No, that couldn't be right. Him and Gilbert were complete opposites. Simple as that. Gilbert was loud, obnoxious and, at times, a bit dense. And then there was Matthew. Quiet, kind, simple Matthew. That's just how it was. It was surprising to him that two people such as them could actually talk civilly without getting on each others nerves.

Matthew sighed and continued washing himself, deciding not to think about it any longer. Perhaps, after today, Gilbert would be out of his hair.

* * *

><p>Gilbert continued on his search of more interesting objects in Matthew's home, but became bored quickly and plopped down onto the couch, yawning. He checked the clock on the wall, trying to remember when his mom had said she wanted him home. It wasn't as if he would be home at that time anyways. He had way more interesting stuff to do. Yeah. He did.<p>

A knock sounded on the door, and being the curious person Gilbert was, he felt the need to answer it. He shook his head, pouting.

"I shouldn't answer it," he told himself defiantly.

_Knock._

"It's not for me."

_Knock knock._

"This isn't my house."

"_Zut! _Someone open this door!" an accented voice sounded out from behind the entryway. It was a French accent.

_French accent. _

Gilbert jumped up and ran to the door, flinging it open and tossing his arms around the startled Francis Bonnefoy.

"Franny!" Gilbert chirped with glee. Francis stood there before his brain finally caught up with the actions. He wrapped his arms around Gilbert's waist and pulled him close, smiling happily.

"Gilbert!" he greeted, placing his hands on Gilbert's face before planting a kiss on both of Gilbert's cheeks. Gilbert grinned at him, totally used to the antics of the Frenchman.

"I haven't seen you since November! Dude, I've been lonely!" he exclaimed, then quickly shut his mouth. "I mean, it's not as if I don't have other people to hang out with."

"I understand," Francis said with a snort. Before he knew it, Gilbert was messing up his blond, wavy locks of hair. "Gilbert! I wanted my hair to look good for the family!"

"Too bad~!"

"And, speaking of family, just _why _are you here?" Francis drew his lips into a thin line, confused at why his long time best friend was at his family's home. "Have you become friends with Alfred?"

"I haven't even met that Alfred kid yet," Gilbert stated. "I'm friends with Mattie."

"With Matthieu?" Francis seemed surprised by the news. Gilbert ran a hand through his hair, chuckling nervously.

"Well, yeah, sorta. I mean, him and I only started hanging out today," he admitted. Francis quirked a brow.

"And you're already at his house?"

"Only because you're here!"

"I'm honored." Francis smiled before walking past him into the home. "So, where is _mon petit lapin_?"

"Doesn't _lapin_ mean rabbit?" Gilbert asked. Francis nodded.

"Yes. I'm glad you've been studying."

"Why do you have a rabbit here?"

"No, I was asking where Matthieu is."

"Mattie's a rabbit?"

"No, it-nevermind. Where's Matthieu at?" Francis gave Gilbert an annoyed look, but the other man was oblivious to it.

"Oh, he's showering." Francis' face lit up with glee.

"_Parfait_!" Francis chimed. Gilbert squinted his eyes at the blond.

"Parfait? No thanks. I don't want one."

"Forget I said that, Gilbert. Don't worry your pretty little head." Francis ruffled Gilbert's hair, shaking his head with a disappointed smile. "We'll work on your French later. For right now, let's give dear little Matthieu hell, shall we?"

"Give him hell? Why would we do that to Mattie?" Gilbert understood family teasing, but Matthew seemed so kind. Why try to hurt the kid?

"He's my cousin. It's my job. Now, follow me." With that, Francis dug into one of tables that stood beside the couch, pulling out a video camera. He tossed it to Gilbert, who held it gently. He always felt the need to respect electronics. "Follow me. And be quiet about it."

Gilbert silently followed the man, his stomach unsettled. Usually, he was all for playing pranks on unknowing suckers-particularly Roderich-but with Matthew it didn't seem right. He was nice and witty and respected Gilbert to the best of his ability, so being a trickster at the moment just did not feel good.

"Hey, Franny? I don't feel good about this," Gilbert whispered. "I mean, I only just met Mattie and he was cool enough to let me into his house, so-" Francis shushed him, a smirk on his face.

"As long as you're with me, you'll be fine, alright?" The Frenchman turned away to face the door. The sounds of a shower could be heard through it. Gilbert frowned and slumped his shoulders, feeling as if Matthew would possibly hate him after what was about to happen.

"Franny, can we just go back downstairs?" Gilbert tried to reason. Francis shook his head.

"I don't see what the problem is," he said. "I mean, I'm only saying bonjour to the sweet boy." With that, he threw open the door, beaming. "Matthieu! I've arrived! I see you're already waiting for me!" Matthew jumped and quickly closed the shower curtain, hiding himself.

"I hate you!" he squeaked. Gilbert let out a bark of laughter at the same time Francis did, but his stomach did a flip at those words. He never had liked those words. _I hate you._

"Oh come now, Matthieu! It's only us men!" Francis reassured, straining to hold back his laughter. Matthew peeked out from behind the curtain, a sharp glare directed at the two friends. Gilbert felt himself stiffen underneath the intensity of the blond's eyes. Those violet eyes that stared Francis down, but when they fell upon Gilbert, seemed to turn into ones of more disappointment than anything. Gilbert's heart dropped at the look.

"I-I'm sorry, Mattie. He _made _me do it," he stammered out, feeling like a weakling at the high pitch of his voice.

"I'm sure he did," Matthew muttered disdainfully. "Can I finish my shower in peace now?"

"Yeah, sure! Franny has a lot to tell me anyways!" Gilbert chirped, jumping on the opportunity to get out of the small, steamy room as quickly as possible. He took hold of Francis' wrist and tugged him out of the area, closing the door behind them.

As soon as they were downstairs, Gilbert glared at Francis with all his might. "Great job! He hates me now!" Francis rolled his eyes, a smile still on his stubbly face.

"At least I didn't take his clothes and say you did it," he said, patting Gilbert's shoulder. His hand was shrugged away and Gilbert looked down, staring hardly at his feet. Francis watched him, noting how Gilbert's actions were a bit..._off._

The Gilbert Francis was used to was always up for a good joke, a friendly groping. Always up for a race around the block to prove he was more '_awesome' _than anyone else. Always up for stating how amazing he was and laughing loudly at the silliest things and not caring about what people thought of him, especially someone he just met. So why was it that he was acting so different around Matthew, of all people? Something didn't seem right.

"So, how many girls did you get with?" Gilbert asked, breaking the silence between the duo. Francis' lips upturned into a crude smirk.

"Let's just say eight lovely ladies are heart broken right now." Gilbert held up his hand, which Francis promptly high-fived.

"Dude! Awesome work!" Gilbert exclaimed. "But only eight? Damn, you've toned down, haven't you?"

"Oh come now. I'm still myself. I was just far more interested in touring the beauties of my home country than being with women. They were just part of it." Francis flipped his hair with one of his hands. Gilbert scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Right, I get where you're coming from," he spoke.

"Now then, your turn. Tell me about your life lately." Francis took a seat on the couch, scooting over as Gilbert joined him.

"Stuff has happened. Nothing of interest." Gilbert paused, pondering on the statement. "Well, except for the thing about Tonio asking Lovino out."

"And how did it go?"

"Shot down and sulked over it for a week." Francis sighed and shook his head.

"Our poor boy. He should have listened to us when we told him that Lovino isn't a fan of gay people. Alas, no use trying to get it through that lovestruck Spaniard's thick skull," the blond said, placing his chin in his palm. Gilbert nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. I feel really sorry for him." Gilbert popped his neck before continuing. "At the most, Lovino's still hangin' out with him. I always tease him about how him and Toni should start sucking on each others faces."

"Sounds just like you," Francis said with a smile. "Now what about Ludwig and my sweet Feli?"

"Still all about rainbows and sparkles," Gilbert answered. "It's a bit rough on them, though. Lovino always interrupts them and never leaves them alone." Gilbert cleared his throat and began to speak, badly imitating an Italian accent. "_'My Fratello shouldn't be dating a guy! Damn potato bastard! Potatoes suck! I secretly have sex with Antonio every night! And I swallow!'_"

The pair laughed for a good long while at Gilbert's crude comments. Afterwards, they continued their conversation of their lives in the past months they hadn't seen each other. As Francis described all the women he had been with, Gilbert zoned out, nodding occasionally to please the man. His thoughts unconsciously wandered back to Matthew.

The glare that the teenager had given him had been incredibly frightening, Gilbert had to admit. Usually, Gilbert was used to receiving hateful looks, but Matthew's had been different. It was almost as if Gilbert was a scared puppy when it came to them, the violet hue that had seemed to darken. He didn't like those kind of eyes on Matthew. They didn't suit him. He was too cute for them.

_Cute..._

Yeah, Matthew was cute. Really cute. And Gilbert liked cute things. But he shook the feeling off, knowing that if he ended up wanting Matthew, he would just be left alone again, replaced by someone better. Like what had happened with Feliciano. Feliciano knew Gilbert before Ludwig, and yet he chose the burly man over the one that had constantly cared for him and given him comfort when he was in need of it. All because Ludwig was a better man than Gilbert could ever be.

Much better.

"Gilbert?" Francis spoke. The albino blinked, then looked at Francis.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Gilbert lied, grinning at Francis. The Frenchman seemed unconvinced and was about to say something when Matthew entered the room, still red in the face. Francis jumped up and threw his arms around Matthew, nuzzling his face into the wet hair.

"Oh Matthieu! How I missed you!" Francis placed a kiss upon Matthew's forehead affectionately, much to the younger one's chagrin. "How have you been, _mon petit lapin_?"

"Fine." Matthew pulled away from his cousin and sat in one of the armchairs, glancing at Gilbert briefly. Gilbert gave him a sorry grin, but Matthew ignored it, still a bit upset with the shower fiasco. He yawned before speaking. "How was France?"

"_C'était magnifique_!" Francis chimed. He began speaking in French to Matthew about the trip. Gilbert looked between them, unaware of the fact that Matthew could actually understand what was being said. He only realized it when Matthew began speaking back in the same language. His red eyes stared in disbelief at the blond.

_'Okay, so he speaks French too,'_ Gilbert though, raising a brow at them. _'Definitely the cousin of Francis.'_

* * *

><p>It was much later when Gilbert at last decided it would be best if he headed home. His mother was going to be upset, that was for sure. He doubted he would be able to get dinner from her tonight, so he best stop at McDonalds again.<p>

"So, we should meet up tomorrow, Franny," Gilbert suggested. "With Toni, too. Sounds awesome, right?"

"It does, but I must catch up with my family and sleep, so I have to turn down the offer," Francis said, sighing. "Perhaps next Saturday?"

"Sounds good to me," Gilbert agreed. Him and Francis gave each other a close hug before Francis went up the stairs to take a shower himself. Gilbert looked at Matthew, the guilty feeling returning as the other didn't acknowledge him. He stepped closer.

"Are you leaving?" Matthew asked suddenly, surprising Gilbert. He looked down at his feet, fidgeting slightly.

"Yeah, I am," he answered. He glanced back up at Matthew, who still wasn't looking at him. "Hey, Mattie, I'm sorry. Really."

"I believe you," Matthew sighed, standing up from his seat. "Just, try not to get sucked into my cousin's antics."

"It was more he got sucked up into my antics," Gilbert admitted, lowering his head. Matthew stared at him before smiling softly.

"Well, as long as they don't involve me, I'm fine with them." Matthew chuckled as Gilbert's eyes lit up.

"It's a promise! I promise I won't try to hurt you anymore, alright? Aright." He nodded his head proudly.

"It's getting dark," the blond said, his eyes darting to the sky outside the glass window. "You should hurry home."

"Alright." Gilbert turned around and opened the door, stepping into the cool air. Before leaving completely, though, he turned his head back to Matthew with a smirk.

"What is it?" Matthew asked, quirking a brow.

"Nothin'. It's just, you have a nice body." With that, Gilbert closed the door and sprinted to his car. Matthew stared after him, allowing the words to sink in before a large blush spread across his cheeks.

He pressed his back against the door, cursing the albino in his mind. As he repeated insulting words over and over again silently in the heat of his embarrassment, he failed to notice a small smile had crept onto his lips.

* * *

><p><strong>Translations:<strong>

**Zut = Dammit.  
><strong>

**Mon petit lapin = My small rabbit.**

**Pairfait = Perfect.  
><strong>

**C'était magnifique = It was magnificent.**

**Sorry if the translations are a bit off. I use Google Translate.**

**Also, if anyone wants to nitpick about Antonio and Lovino not being together, here:**

**Yes, Gilbert said Lovino should stick to sucking on Antonio's face in chapter 2, but this is also Gilbert we're talking about. He stated in this chapter he's only teasing, so there. **

**Anyways, not an awesome chapter, but I do kinda like it. Writing Matthew and Gilbert's interactions is always a lot of fun.**

**Reviews are awesome, guys~.**

**Hope you enjoyed.**


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